(no subject)

[lirazel]

It just blows my mind that this keeps happening--SM treats its employees like shit, so much so that the employees take legal action to get away from them--and yet the company (and the industry at large) learns absolutely nothing. They didn't learn anything from Shinhwa, they didn't learn anything from Han Geng, they didn't learn anything from JYJ, and they won't learn anything from Kris. Nothing's going to change at SM or industry-wide until the law forces them to change or until they can't make money off of mistreating dreaming young people, and I don't foresee either of those things happening any time soon. I'm glad Kris is getting out while he can. I'm sure he didn't make the decision lightly.

What I really want to know is whether the female idols are treated better or (more likely) they're treated so much worse that they have less leverage (emotional or otherwise) to leave when they want to. Because it's significant to me that only guys have gotten out.

Comments

[http://users.livejournal.com/amaelamin_/]

it makes me crazy that the kpop industry is so important to korea but there are so few laws in place to protect the very people who are driving the hallyu wave with literally their blood sweat and tears. tiffany says that the govt is very likely involved in all the shady business, which would explain a lot. either that or companies like SM which are chaebol-level can secretly lobby against idol-protection laws.

i don't follow exo, so would you mind telling me about luhan's family turning their backs on yixing? omg ;_;

[penny-lane-42.livejournal.com]

YES. I'm betting it's just crony-ism, but the rich and powerful always protect each other. Ugh.

Ha, I used ambigious pronoun antecedents--Luhan's family basically did what Hoya's family did and kicked him out, only they haven't come back around now that he's successful. I don't think he sees them at all and he doesn't mention them when the others are talking about their families. From what I understand, he's completely estranged from them. It's really heartbreaking.

[http://users.livejournal.com/amaelamin_/]

oh yeah i heard about that :( poor baby. it still amazes me why people want to be idols. sasaengs, insane schedules, lack of control over your own life and choices - WHY.

[penny-lane-42.livejournal.com]

I could never. Ever, ever, ever.